According to the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, today, the bank accounts of seven non-governmental organizations have been frozen.
The agency stated that Tbilisi City Court granted the Prosecutor’s Office’s motion within the ongoing investigation into sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravating circumstances, assistance to foreign organizations and organizations under foreign control in hostile activities, and the mobilization of funds for activities directed against Georgia’s constitutional order and the foundations of national security. The court’s ruling authorized the freezing of certain NGOs’ bank accounts.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation has established that protest participants who carried out violent actions against law enforcement were equipped with special means, including with the financial support of NGOs, in a coordinated manner.
The statement notes that on August 27, the bank accounts of the following organizations were frozen:
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Civil Society Foundation (CSF)
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International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)
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Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)
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Defenders of Democracy
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Georgian Democratic Initiative (GDI)
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Sapari
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Social Justice Center (SJC)
The investigation determined that during 2024, protest rallies were held in front of the Parliament of Georgia and across the country, which quickly took on a violent character and exceeded the limits established by law. Alongside the protests, calls by opposition leaders and certain NGO heads for mass disobedience and general resistance gradually turned the rallies into targeted confrontations with police forces. As a result, violent groups inflicted injuries on dozens of law enforcement officers, used pyrotechnics, flammable and incendiary substances, including so-called Molotov cocktails, and set fire to the Parliament building, significantly damaging the legislature. They also burned police vehicles and destroyed public and private property on Rustaveli Avenue.
In order to effectively carry out violent actions against law enforcement, some protest participants were equipped with special gas masks, helmets, face coverings, medical masks, protective goggles, batons, and other items. Protesters were also repeatedly observed using pepper spray and similar means against police officers.
The investigation established that such equipment was purchased in a coordinated manner using funds provided by NGOs, specifically the Civil Society Foundation, ISFED, IDFI, Defenders of Democracy, GDI, Sapari, and the Social Justice Center. Targeted financing was used to acquire gas masks, protective goggles, face masks, pepper spray, and other items, which were actively used during violent clashes with police.
The statement further notes that the leaders of these organizations openly called on the public to engage in disobedience and resistance, while their organizational and financial activities were fully directed toward supporting individuals involved in violent acts and their family members. This included paying fines on behalf of offenders, covering legal defense costs, and resolving other personal and organizational matters. These actions were intended both to encourage illegal behavior and to shield participants, with the ultimate goal of weakening law enforcement institutions and disrupting their normal functioning.
Since the activities of the aforementioned NGOs went beyond their statutory goals and a significant part of their funding was used to finance unlawful actions, on August 27, the court ordered the freezing of their bank accounts, thereby preventing further misuse of funds.
“The public will be periodically informed about the course and results of the investigation,” the statement concludes.
